dezewiecki



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' S. DRZEWIEOKI. APPARATUS FOR EJEGTING 0R LAUNOHING TORPEDOES.

No. 542,876. Pat nted July 16, 1895.

WTNESSESa: I i

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shee-t 2.

S. DRZEWIEOKI. APPARATUS FOR BJBGTING 0R LAUNGHING TORPEDOES.

Patented July 16, 1895.

W. WITNESSES.- NVENTOH QM W , RAMA,

Z' A TTOHNEYS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

S. DRZEWIEGK'I. v APPARATUS FOR BJEGTING 0R LAUNOHING TORPBDOES No.542,876.

Patented July 16, 1895.

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; Z INVENTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

S. DRZEWIEGKI.

APPARATUS FOR EJEGTING: OR LAUNGHING TORPEDOES.

Patented July 16, 1895.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR' 9X3 WW %;,ATT0RNEYJ UNITED STATES 'PATENT ()FEICE.

STEPHANE DRZEWIECKI, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR EJECTING OR LAUNCHING TORPEDOES.

:iPEGIEIGATI ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,876, dated July16, 1895.

Application filed October 24, 1894- Serial No. 526,830. (No model.)Patented in France June 1, 1892, No.222,062; in England May 6,1893,N0.9,041; in Germany May 14, 1893,110. 73,174; in Italy June 80, 1893, No.34,028, and in Austria-Hungary December 5, 1893,1510. 26,162.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHANE DRZEWIECKI, engineer, residing in Paris,France, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Ejecting orLaunching Torpedoes from Torpedo Boats or Vessels, (for which I haveobrained a patent in France, dated June 1, 1892, No. 222,062; in ItalyJune 30, 1893, No. 34,028; in Great Britain May 6, 1893, No. 9,04:1; inGermany May 13, 1893, No. 73,174, and in Austria- Hungary December. 5,1893, No. 26,152,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for ejecting orlaunching torpedoes from torpedo boats or vessels, and consists in animproved arrangement and construction of the launching-gear, whereby thecourse of the torpedo, when released from the vessel, is

enabled to be directed or regulated with great precision and at anydesired angle with the side of the vessel. The apparatus is moreover soarranged as to offer little or no resistance to the progress of thevessel through the water.

The apparatus heretofore employed for the broadside ejecting orlaunching of torpedoes, in which rails or guides are pushed out from thebottom or side of the torpedo-vessel, at right angles to the latter, todirect the torpedo as it starts on its voyage, presents seriousdisadvantages. The rails or guides being rigidly connected to thevessel, oifer considerable resistance to its progress through thewater,and the saidguides being caused to move at the same rate as the vessel,the torpedo on leaving their extremities receives a lateral impetus orbias in the direction of motion of the vessel which affects its courseand renders it impossible to direct it with the required precision. Thegear is moreover of a complicated character, and occupies a large amountof space. By means of my present invention these disadvantages areobviated.

With this object I employ for launching the torpedo abeam or guide,hinged to a sliding or movable frame placed in a chamber or recess inthe side of the vessel. This beam or guide being normally secured in aposition parallel with the keel of the boat until the launching takesplace, is retained and released by any suitable mcchanism-such, forexample, as that hereinafter, described. When released, the movement ofthe torpedo boat or vessel and the resistance of the Water cause thebeam to rotate or swing backward and outward on a vertical pivot orhinge, the actual release or launching of the torpedo beingautomatically regulated or timed in such a manner as to cause it to be.disengaged from the beam directly the latter has moved through apredetermined angle-say ninety degrees,-for example. The aforesaidmovable frame enables the beam, when clear of the torpedo and returnedto the recess, to be transferred to a loading or charging box in theinterior of the vessel, and forming a continuation of the recess, inorder to receive a fresh torpedo. A sliding door or valve separates thisloading or charging box from the launching recess and another door orlid enables the torpedo to be introduced into the charging-box from theinterior of the vessel.

In order that this invention may be readily understood, 1 shall nowproceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purposeshall refer to the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings, thesame letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in elevation and partlyin longitudinal section a part of the side of a torpedo-- boat providedwith torpedo-launching gear constructed according to thisinvention. Fig.2 represents the said gear or apparatus partly in plan and partly inhorizontal section. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, but shows theparts in a different position, the launching-beam being represented ashaving been swung outward so as to stand at right angles to the side ofthe vessel. Fig. fl represents in longitudinal vertical section thecharging box or part of the apparatus in which the torpedoes areattached to the launchingbeam. Fig. 5, drawn to a larger scale,represents in transverse section, taken on the line 1 2, Fig. 1',thepart of the apparatus on which the launching-beam is hinged or pivoted.Figs. 5 and 5 represent in elevation and in plan, respectively, partlyin section, details of the mechanism connected with the pivot or hingeof the launching-beam represented in Fig. 5. Fig.6 represents intransverse vertical section, taken on the line 3 t, Fig. 1, thearrangement of the arms or claws by which the torpedo is attached to thelan nching-beam. Fig. 6 represents the said claws in end elevation. Fig.7 represents in transverse vertical section, taken on theline 5 6, Fig.1, the mechanism for effecting the longitudinal displacement of theframe carrying the launching-beam; and Fig. 7 represents a detail ofthis mechanism hereinafter referred to. Fig. 8 represents in transversesection, on the line 7 8, Fig. 1, a windlass and mechanism forcontrolling a hawser regulating the angle of the launching-beam. Figs. 8and 8 illustrate in elevation and in horizontal section, respectively,the said Windlass, which is situated upon the movable frame at theopposite end to that at which the pivot of the launchingbeam is placed.Fig. 9 illustrates in transverse vertical section, taken on the line 910, Fig. 1, the loading or charging box, in which the torpedo isattached to the beam. Fig. 9 represents the lid or cover of the said boxin plan. Fig. 10 represents the charging box in transverse section, thelid or cover being open and the launching-beam placed in position withits arms or claws open for the reception of a torpedo. Figs. 11,11, and11 drawn to a still larger scale, illustrate in elevation, (partly inlongitudinal section,) in transverse section, and in plan, respectively,a catch or hook employed for opening or releasing the arms or claws bywhich the torpedo is secured to the beam. I

The following description, with reference to the annexed drawings, of anapparatus for launching torpedoes arranged in accordance with myinvention,is given merely as an example, showing how my invention may becarried out in practice without limiting my self as to the details ofconstruction.

A s represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and t, the improved apparatus orlaunching-gear is provided with a launching-beam O capable of swingingon a vertical axis or hinge in a chamher a b c cl, formed in the side ofthe torpedoboat, which chamber can be closed by means of a door, asrepresented in Fig. 7. The said beam is placed in a horizontal positionparallel with the axis of the torpedo indicated at T, Figs. 1 and 2, andis provided with two pairs of claws or curved armsm m nit, Figs. 1, 2,6. and 7, which embrace and hold the terpedo T in position at the sideof the beam. The latter is forked at the rear end, Figs. 5 and 5, andswings upon a hinge formed with two pins or pivots 0, passed througheyes in the extremities of the legs of the fork. These two pins, uponwhich the beam is capable of describing about half a revolution, areattached to the extremity of a movable frame M capable of being actuatedbya rack 00 and pinion 13, being guided by longitudinal rails r. Thisframe is contained in the chamber claws.

or recess a b 0 cl in the side of the boat below the water-line, theentrance being provided with a sliding door 2, Fig. 7, controlled bymechanism connected with the door at two points and actuated from theinterior of the boat, as indicated in Fig. 7.

The forward end of the beam can be pushed out of the recess by means ofa lever L, working on. an axis 0', one extremity Z of which lever issituated inside the boat, the other extremity being forked,as indicatedin Figs. 5 and 5 and engaging with a pin 2', provided on the beam 0.When the forward extremity of the beam is slightly protruded by theaction of this lever,-the resistance of the water, combined with themotion of the boat, causes it to swing outward and backward, asrepresented in Fig. 3.

One end of a rope or steel hawser 1; is attached to the beam 0, theother end being made fast to a drum :5 in the interior of the recess abe d. This hawser is placed in clips 6, Figs. 3 and 7, arranged at theside of or above and below the beam. Starting from the drum 1!,

the hawser 2: is first laid in the lower clips 6, Figs. 3 and 7, backand forth from one end to the other as many times as is necessary,according to the length of the hawser, and then in the upper clips untilits extremity reaches a lever-armf, to which the hawser is secured. Asthebeam swings outward it is gradually pulled out of the clips, afterwhich, being made fast at its two ends, it arrests the motion of thebeam when the latter has swung outward sufiiciently, as indicated inFig. 3. By regulating the length of the hawser by means of this drum theangle or direction of the beam when swung out can be accurately adjustedor regulated. Vhcn taut, the hawser acts upon the catch or hookf, Figs.3 and 11, which is attached to the beam andcauses the curved arms orclaws m m and n at, hereinbefore referred to, to open and release thetorpedo T, Fig.3, which isthen perfectlyfree in the water, with regardto which it has no relative initial velocity, having receivedpractically no impetus from the movement of the vessel. The said catchis in the form of a double hook-or lever-armf, hinged to the beam C,Figs. 11, 11, and 11", and acted on by a spring or springs f which tendto retain it in the position represented by Fig. 11. \Vhen pulled by thehawser 'v, the hooked lever-arms f act upon slidesf, jointed to leversor arms 72 on rods or shafts g g, arranged parallel with the beam andforming the axes of oscillation of the aforesaid curved arms or Underthe action of the said leverarms the claws m m and n n are caused toopen at the proper time (see dotted lines, Fig. 11) and release thetorpedo, and at the same time the propelling mechanism of the latter isreleased, so that it immediately commences to move in the line in whichit is directed when disengaged from the beam. The

boat continuing to advance, the beam 0 being supported by the tauthawser n, Fig. 3,

ICO

now moves onward with the boat without interfering with the motion ofthe torpedo T, Fig. 3. The beam is thendrawn or swung back and returnedto the recess a b c d by winding the hawser on the drum t of theWindlass, Figs. 3, 8, 8 and 8 Worked from inside the boat by means of acrank 27 and suitable interposed gearing, Fig. 8. This drum isconstructed to act on the hawser with a springy or yielding action,being provided-for this purpose with a spring or a series of rubberballs 29, Figs. 8 and 8", in the interior of the drum, acting againstradial arms or stops provided on the drum and on the shaft.' When thebeam has been returned to the recess, it may be charged with anothertorpedo by opening a door or valve V, Figs. 1 and'2, at the end of therecess communicating with a water-tight chamber or charging-box a b c01, arranged in a line with the recess a b c d and provided with aremovable cover u, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 9, firmly secured by transversebars and with bolts and nuts.

The launching-beam C, together with the frame M on which the said beamis hinged, are transferred from the recess a b c d to the charging-box ab c d by means of a toothed pinion 19, Figs. 7 and 7*, gearing with arack 00 on the lower part of the movable frame M,

which'is guided by the rails or guides r, ar

ranged on the upper and lower sides of the recess and of thecharging-box and engaging with projections formed upon the said frame.

When the frame M, with the beam 0 and Windlass t, have been transferredto the loading or charging box a b c d, Fig. 4, the valve or door V isclosed, and after the water has been pumped out or removed from thecharging-box the water-tight lid or cover U1 is opened, as representedin Fig. 10, thus enabling the men in the torpedo-boat to obtain accessto the launching beam and gear in the said box. The hawser 'v is thenunwound from the drum t and laid in the clips 6 attached to the beam 0.The upper claws m and n for holding the torpedo are then raised bytaking out the pins h, Figs. 11, 11, and 11 connecting the slides f withthe levers it fixed upon the shafts g g of the clawsm and 'n. A fresh.torpedo T, Fig. 10, can then be placed between the said claws m and nand the lower claws m n, which latter are supported upon a guide-rail s,after which the upper claws are lowered onto the torpedo so as toconnect it to the beam. The connecting-pins h are then "replaced and astirruppiece is, which releases the hammer or motor of the torpedo whenthe latter is launched, is adjusted in the proper position, after whichthe safety-key holding the striker of the torpedo is attached to a chainsecured to the extremity of the frame. The cover-u of thecharging-chamber is then tightly closed and the valve V at the endopened, after which the frame M, with the beam 0 and torpedo T,

are moved back into the recess a b c d, Fig.

of the recess, until the pin i on the beam engages with the forked leverL, which serves to push the beam out of the recess. By these means thebeam is retained in the recess and cannot be moved outward except by theaction of the lever L, being retained by the joint or hinge 0' at theend and by the fork on the lever L. I

All shafts or rods passing through the side of the boat work in glandsor stufting-boxes to prevent leakage. In order to eject or launch atorpedo at any angle other than a right-angle with the axis of the boat,it is simply necessary to lengthen or shorten the hawser o by means ofthe Windlass t. The length of the hawser when taut determines theposition or angle of the beam 0 at which the mechanism for opening theclaws and releasing the torpedo comes into action.

At the moment when the torpedo leaves the beam the latter is almoststationary, owing to the resistance of the water, and the torpedo canconsequently be directed with great precision. Owing to the movement ofthe beam upon its hinge, it exerts practically no pressure on the water,and after completing its movement upon its hinge or pivot it presents tothe water a sharp angle formed by wooden slabs attached to each side ofthe iron bar or plate forming the core of the beam.

1. In apparatus for ejecting or launching torpedoes, a pivoted launchingbeam adapted to swing outward and backward from the torpedo boat, andcarrying the torpedo, and means for automatically releasing the torpedofrom the said beam directly the latter has moved through a predeterminedangle, substantially as set forth.

2. In apparatus for ejecting or launching torpedoes, a pivoted launchingbeam adapted to swing outward and backward from the torpedo boat, andcarrying the torpedo, means for automatically releasing the torpedo fromthe said beam directly the latter has moved through a predeterminedangle, and means for adjusting this angle according to the direction tobe given to the torpedo, substantially as set forth.

3. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a launching'recess open to theexterior and a charging recess, with a movable frame adapted to betransferred from one recess to the other, and a launching beam pivotedto the said frame, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a pivoted launching beam, witha launching lever engaging with the said beam to start the beam untilthe resistance of the water, due to the forward movement of the boatautomatically completes the required movement on the, hinge.

5. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a pivoted launching beamadapted to swing outward and backward, movable arms on the said beam toembrace the torpedo, with a hawser, adjustable in length, adapted tolimit the movement of the beam, and means act uated by the hawser whenthe beam has reached the end of its movement .to open the said arms torelease the torpedo and the motor of the torpedo simultaneously,substantially as set forth.

(5. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a pivoted launching beamprovided with a series of clips for the hawser, with a Windlass drum anda hawser attached at one end to the Windlass drum and at the other tothe waste said beam, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a launching beam provided withupper and lower claws, with a charging chamber provided with rails toguide the lower claws, the upper claws being capable of being raised toadmit of the introduction of the torpedo, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofl have signed myname to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHANE DRZEWIECKT.

Witnesses:

LEON CRANCKENS, CLYDE SHROPSHIRE.

